Why Planet Earth II is the best movie to watch high

Planet Earth II isn’t a documentary series, it’s an emotional rollercoaster that takes you underwater, through jungles, and across plains. From the macro to the micro, it’s as entertaining as it is existential. And both of these qualities, of course, are made even better when accompanied by a good smoke sesh alone or with friends.

The first Planet Earth series was great. But Planet Earth II—along with a nice blunt—is next level. Here’s why.

The Camera is always moving

Nature documentaries are defined by the technology used to make them. Even though it’s only been a little more than a decade since the first Planet Earth series, cameras have gotten much smaller and steadier since then.

The first Planet Earth is amazing, but it doesn’t feel like a movie, it feels like a documentary. The shots took years to get, and involved lugging a massive camera hundreds or thousands of miles. Now, camera operators have a lot more freedom with tiny steady cams. This means that snakes chasing an iguana look and feel more like “The Avengers” than a documentary. Which is awesome.

Plant Earth II: The Music

Since we don’t have the technology to let animals speak (yet), nature docs lean on music to convey emotions. Some of the best moments from the first Planet Earth series are unimaginable without a majestic score from George Fenton, a legendary English composer.

Planet Earth II’s music is from Hans. Freaking. Zimmer. Whatever your favorite movie is, there’s a good chance Hans Zimmer did the music. Zimmer’s score in Planet Earth II is like a cross between the vibrant score from “The Lion King” and the pounding music from “Inception.” It sounds like that because Hans Zimmer did the music for both of those movies.

When you have grizzly bears dancing up against trees, you know that Hans Zimmer is going to come through with a tight, jazzy, pan flute number.

Planet Earth II: The Stories

When people are stoned, it’s typically easier for them to pick up on emotions. The classic dilemma in nature documentaries is between the predator and the prey. It’s heartbreaking to watch some adorable furry friend get ripped apart, but it’s equally devastating to watch a noble beast starve.

Thousands of hours spent following animals and quintuple that time in the editing room lets these episodes tell entire narratives, and tie them all together. Without dialogue or human characters, Planet Earth II will make you laugh out loud, and bawl your eyes out. You can even feel the stakes when tiny insects battle. It’s a totally consuming experience.